Santa Monica Place is the three-level, open-air shopping and dining destination now under construction just two blocks from the beach in Santa Monica. The project is scheduled to open on Aug. 6, 2010; the new Market at Santa Monica Place, with its collection of high-quality artisan, organic, sustainable and gourmet food offerings, will debut later in 2010 or early 2011.

"Think a slice of the Ferry Building in San Francisco or a wedge of Chelsea Market in New York. The Market will be a smaller version of this kind of experience, so our shoppers will not only be able to pick up something new at Nordstrom and find a great lunch on our Dining Deck, but also gather the makings for dinner from wonderful food purveyors," said Michael Guerin, assistant vice president, Leasing, for the property. "In our urban environment where convenience counts for so much, we intend Santa Monica Place to offer more things to more people."

An edited set of exceptional food shops, The Market at Santa Monica Place will include purveyors of "foundational foods," including meats, fish, cheeses, breads, fruits and vegetables, in addition to gourmet ingredients and prepared foods. The first food purveyors to commit to the project are: The Curious Palate, Coco-luxe Confections and Kings Road Cafe.

The Curious Palate is a market, kitchen and cafe specializing in artisan foods and farm-to-table service; in its market shoppers will find hand-picked culinary items from around the world, including artisan olive oils, vinegars, pastas, grains and legumes, local ciders and chocolates. Expanding from a single location on Venice Boulevard in nearby Mar Vista, owners Elliot Rubin and Mark Cannon met as next-door-neighbors in Santa Monica.

Coco-luxe Confections, founded by chocolatier Stephanie Marcon, is dedicated to producing quality artisan confections, drawing inspiration from classic and familiar flavors, to make playful, sometimes nostalgic, creations. The brand's confections are available on-line and via the Cocoluxe boutique in San Francisco.

Kings Road Cafe is a popular Los Angeles gathering spot with an outstanding reputation for superior coffee made from house-roasted, heirloom beans.

The boutique-sized Market at Santa Monica Place is designed to complement a local favorite, the Santa Monica Farmers Market. "This is a different kind of venue for small, independently-owned shops that want to reach shoppers seven days a week. The Market will feature one purveyor in each category in a carefully edited array of fantastic food experiences," Guerin said.

With its artisanal food offerings, The Market at Santa Monica Place becomes another facet of the project's rooftop Dining Deck, which will offer ocean views and a carefully selected set of chef-driven restaurants and quick-casual dining options. Already announced restaurants include two concepts from nationally recognized restaurateur Richard Sandoval, Zengo and La Sandia, plus Pizza Antica, Ozumo Sushi, and XINO Restaurant + Lounge.

The urban beach experience is a major design focus of the approximately 550,000 square-foot, new Santa Monica Place, located just two blocks from the beach and right next to the popular Third Street Promenade.

To get the latest news about the new Santa Monica Place, the public is invited to visit www.santamonicaplace.com and sign up to become a Santa Monica Place Insider. Insiders receive fresh news and updated photos, plus exclusive opportunities for valuable prizes.

Santa Monica Place’s parent company, Macerich® (NYSE:MAC), is headquartered in Santa Monica and is a fully integrated self-managed and self-administered real estate investment trust, which focuses on the acquisition, leasing, management, development and redevelopment of regional malls throughout the United States. The company is the sole general partner and owns an 89% ownership interest in The Macerich Partnership, L.P. Macerich now owns approximately 75 million square feet of gross leaseable area consisting primarily of interests in 72 regional malls. Additional information about Macerich can be obtained from the Company’s Web site at www.macerich.com.